No Reception for a beach wedding

Well you know your family and situation best but IMO you should provide some sort of food afterwards, it doesn't need to be like a traditional reception. It just feels a bit rude to ask people to witness your ceremony then say "hey you are on your own for everything else!" After all they are taking the time to celebrate with you, the ceremony is you for but the reception is to thank your guests.

You could mention the chair/beach towel thing but bring a few extra in case people forget.

If this is a destination wedding? (not just a beach in your hometown) then is it all inclusive. If so then I think your idea is fine. But I think you can mention something like bring your swim shits and casual attire and come celebrate our special day with us.

small letters as a gift from you we would love your attendance and nothing more. hope you are free to join us on our special day.

Is there anyway you could possibly have a reception are the hotel? Is the hotel more of a condo or is it like a room? If it's like a condo with a kitchen you could always have some small things.

I'm having a sunset beach wedding too, and will be using the meeting room in my condo. I think it would be nice to have a small reception of some kind. A walmart cake is only like 48 for two tiers too. : P

On that note. If this is a beach in your home town or somewhere your guest are not staying some kind of apps or finger foods or pizza or somethign would be nice.

When I was originally looking for locations for our beach wedding, some had inclusive receptions that had just finger foods or even a beach BBQ, which might be fun. It's worth checking out.

For the chairs, etc., I would at least let people know somehow that you aren't providing seating. While it's only a 20-30 minute ceremony, some people may need to sit for various reasons.

When I was originally looking for locations for our beach wedding, some had inclusive receptions that had just finger foods or even a beach BBQ, which might be fun. It's worth checking out.

For the chairs, etc., I would at least let people know somehow that you aren't providing seating. While it's only a 20-30 minute ceremony, some people may need to sit for various reasons.

Hi Anna.

While I don't think you have to have a full on reception with cake, a meal, etc., I think it would be nice to organize something.

Whether its a pack of cupcakes or soda and some apps or something of that nature, I think the guests will appreciate having something.

I also agree about letting them know to bring blankets.

We were originally planning an outdoor wedding where we were going to have our guests stand as well and make a note in the invite that if standing would be a physical discomfort, they were welcome to bring a picnic blanket or lawnchair to make themselves more comfy. We also made note that there would be some tough walking terrain so the older women knew not to wear stiletto heels. I think you will be fine if you don't provide chairs. Or even just provide a few and reserve them for the older people or those who are physically unable to stand for a prolonged time.

This is a wedding away from home, about 4 hours away. The hotel is more like a condo with several units, but my immediate family is 50 people and that's not including his family so having it in a small condo isn't possible without breaking many fire codes. I was thinking about having everyone join us for supper before the wedding (with everyone paying their own way). Renting out a place for a reception is way out of my budget and once I'm outside I don't want to go back inside anywhere. The outdoors are too nice.

I feel that a reception shouldn't be about the food but a chance for us to talk to each person and tell them thank you for coming. I want to be able to talk to people in a comfortable environment. My family is planning on this as one of their vacations so they will be spending the week with us and his family is planning on doing at least the weekend so it's not as if they are coming just for the day and being sent home.

I do know of several people who will need chairs and they are already aware to bring those with them. And we also don't plan on a ceremony longer than 5 minutes - no, seriously. I'm taking the Princess Bride route - Do you? Do you? Kiss and you're married.

I'm sorry but I think it's kind of rude to make people drive 4 hours and not provide them with a meal and entertainment. Like someone else said, the ceremony is for the two of you the reception is to thank your guests. Also if your immediate family is 50 let's say his is 50 as well, that's 100 people. That's a decent size wedding, you should provide a reception if you're making them travel.

No Anna, a wedding isn't about the reception.

But, as a guest, I would get hungry eventually and would probably go find food. How long are you expecting people to hang out? Especially people with kids, they will need to find food faster.

As to your question-

Am I rude for not providing any sort of organized reception?

I think, no, you aren't rude but I think it will be more enjoyable to have some sort of food there. Doesn't have to be a gourmet meal or expensive.

I agree, you don't have to have a big, expensive organized reception, but if people are traveling for your ceremony (even if they are making a vacation out of it), you should at least provide finger foods. If you'll be on the beach after your ceremony, perhaps you could do a bonfire with smores or little weenies that could be roasted over the fire?

Forgot drinks, I suggest providing lemonade and water, especially if it's going to be hot. You can definitely provide something for a couple hundred bucks.

Also, letting guests know about chairs/blankets is great, I also agree with the suggestion of bringing some extras, just in case.

You're having people drive 4 hours for a 5 minute ceremony? You said you don't want to go back inside because it's too nice outside, but you don't want cake because of the heat.

People are travelling that far and that long---they need to eat and drink something. If you can't afford to do it, then you need to do to the courthouse or do something close to home.

I agree with the others, you need to provide something if everyone is driving that far! It's tacky not to. You could even suggest a breakfast the next day provided by you of course since breakfast is somewhat "Cheaper". For after the cermony, I agree you need a cake or something of that nature and some drinks. Also with the seating, your going to have to let people know to bring seats or expect to stand. I know if I drove all that way I would think seating was provided. Good luck to you.

Ok first of all it was a little hard for me to get past the comment of it being your second wedding? I won't go off but some of us are having second weddings and it does not mean that we can't have the whole shebang.

I am also having a DW, yes that is what you are having, whether you realize it or not.

If you just want a simple ceremony and it is understood by your family that it is such then I would plan your vacation, and let your family do the same, and send out a simple invite stating that on certain day and time you would like your family and friends to join you in witnessing your ceremony.

You state that you don't want to set up a reception. What about contacting a local sandwich company and having them create simple box lunch/dinners with shaped sugar cookies as the treat. These would be easily delivered or a pick up and put in an ice chest would suffice. I am not sure how much your ceremony will cost but I am sure you could work a deal on something like this.

Ok, so it looks like I shouldn't even have an open wedding. The only reason we aren't eloping at the beach by ourselves is because too many people are very upset that we weren't going to have a wedding. My mom is the only one who knows me well and is ok with us not having a wedding. In my head my dream would be just the two of us since that is all that matters. I was hoping that the no chairs situation would turn people off and not come to the wedding, same thing with having the wedding four hours away, but everyone hopped on it and now wants to take a vacation. Maybe I do just need to be rude and say sorry guys!

@Stephanie C - I totally understand your confusion on my statement. I meant it as I had a huge lavish wedding the first time and there's nothing wrong with a huge second wedding. It's just not for me as I didn't enjoy my first one. I like your suggestions of asking people to witness our ceremony and the sandwiches. That's something I'd be willing to do and even do myself. Thank you

All right, another option here, not a popular one. If everyone is staying in condos, they likely have kitchens, right? Since you don't expect gifts, what about having a "potluck" reception? People's "gifts" could be bringing some small snacks (seriously, even chips and dip would be preferable to nothing).

If that still doesn't fit, go ahead and elope. If the ceremony will literally be 5 minutes, and people are just going to hang out after, it's almost the same as not having a wedding. If you elope, you'll be happier, and guests really won't have missed anything. Then when everyone is at the beach, it's just a family vacation, no stress on you do provide anything. (BTW, if that reads snarky, I apologize, I don't mean it snarky.)

It was a little confusing because you have pics in your profile that suggest you would like to have some sort of affair. BTW love the colors you are leaning towards.

I understand the first wedding and not enjoying yourself. I look back and realize now how many red flags there were. I have had many family members tell me that it was almost like I was comatosed and was just in it for the ride. I am having soooooo much fun this time and it means so much more. If you just want the two of you then maybe rethink your plans. We started out with a home wedding, over a 100 guests and the whole party, but came home last year from a vacation in Cabo and we knew it wasn't what we wanted. We cancelled everything and planned what our dream together is not what everyone wanted us to do. Good luck! You have time to figure it out.